The announcement is expected on Thursday unless Anthony has a sudden change of heart. The deal? It's a max contract for $129 million over five years.

"He will have something for everybody on Thursday," a friend told Isola. "He is really torn because this is the biggest decision of his career. But he wants to get it done in New York. He told me he believes in Phil."

Phil, of course, is Phil Jackson, the Knicks president who dined with Anthony and worked on improving the roster this offseason as best as he could, dealing Tyson Chandler and troubled point guard Raymond Felton to the Mavericks to bring in Jose Calderon. He also hired Derek Fisher -- whom Kevin Durant touted during a workout with Anthony -- to coach. The more intriguing implication of "believing in Phil" is what the president can do next offseason as well -- if he can bring back Anthony, he could perhaps convince another star to come aboard. There's also still time for Jackson to sign free agent forward Pau Gasol, who was rumored to have spoken to Anthony about coming east and joining the Knicks.

"Ultimately, Anthony's heart is in New York where his family is comfortable and where he confident that Jackson can return the club to prominence," Isola wrote. "Anthony's friend says that Anthony prolonging his decision is not a reflection of him having second thoughts about the Knicks. Instead, it was Anthony wanting to be sure that he could put himself in position to win a championship."

Bleacher Report's Howard Beck and the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch replied to the report with these tweets: